Darwin Initiative – Final Report (To be completed with reference to the Reporting Guidance Notes for Project Leaders (http://darwin.defra.gov.uk/resources/reporting/) - it is expected that this report will be a maximum of 20 pages in length, excluding annexes) Darwin project information Project Reference 15-035 Project Title Ex-situ conservation of rare and threatened plants of Mauritius Host country(ies) Mauritius UK Contract Holder Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Institution UK Partner Institution(s) - Host Country Partner Ministry of Agro-Industry & Fisheries, Mauritius Sugar Industry Institution(s) Research Institute, National Threatened Plants Technical Committee Darwin Grant Value £60,560 Start/End dates of Project July 2006 – June 2009 Project Leader Name Steve Alton Project Website http://www.kew.org/msbp/where/Mauritius.htm Report Author(s) and date Steve Alton 1 Project Background Mauritius houses some of the world’s most threatened plant species and, for its size, has the second highest rate of endemism in the world, at 45%. Eleven taxa are reduced to populations of a single known individual. Project purpose: Implementation of Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation in Mauritius - ‘60% of threatened plant species in accessible ex situ collections…’ This has been achieved through: The creation of National seed bank facility in Mauritius, housing securely banked seed collections of rare and threatened species; the development of storage and germination protocols; and the collection of reference herbarium specimens. 2 Project support to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation is an initiative developed as direct output of the CBD, and was ratified at a Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2002. As such, this project directly supports a major mechanism of the CBD, and is in accordance with its broader principles: • conservation – a significant number of threatened taxa are now in long-term ex situ storage • sustainable use - this material is being made available for recovery and reintroduction projects • the fair and equitable sharing of benefits – the project was covered by a Memorandum of Understanding which determines the ownership and acceptable use of the banked resource and any benefits derived therefrom. 1 Darwin Final report format with notes – May 2008 More specifically, the project has supported the implementation of Articles 7 (Identification and Monitoring), 8 (in situ conservation), 9 (ex situ conservation), 10 (Sustainable Use of Components of Biological Diversity), 12 (Research and Training), 13 (Public Education and Awareness), 15 (Access to Genetic Resources), 17 (Exchange of Information), 18 (Technical and Scientific Cooperation), with emphasis on the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI), Forest Biodiversity and Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. The National Focal Point for the CBD is the Ministry of Environment & National Development Unit. However, implementation of the Convention is entrusted to NPCS, and one section is carried out by the Mauritius Herbarium (GTI). These organisations are in regular contact with each other through technical, strategic and management committees covering all aspects of conservation and sustainable development. 3 Project Partnerships The need for the project was identified through a visit by a local NGO (the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation) to the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) in 2004. A four-day follow-up visit to Mauritius was undertaken in August 2005 to consolidate the project proposal, culminating in a project development meeting on 1st September. Due to staff changes, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation were unable to pursue their involvement at that stage, but maintained an interest in the project. Three additional partners were indentified at the meeting – the National Parks & Conservation Service (NPCS) of the Mauritian government, the national Mauritius Herbarium hosted at the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) and the National Native Threatened Plants Committee (NNTPC). It was further agreed that seed banking is a long-term, cost-effective ex-situ tool compared to other techniques, and was therefore the most likely way in which Mauritius would meet Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). The following targets were drawn up at the meeting to guide the application for Darwin funding: To store 60% of the threatened species of Mauritius in an ex situ seed storage facility, in line with Target 8 of the GSPC. • To collect and store 20% of the threatened plant species of Mauritius per year over 3 years, with each species represented by at least 1 population. • To focus collection on: native plant species commonly collected and used in restoration plantings; threatened plant species, to complement the national ex situ conservation programme. • To set up facilities in Mauritius for seed storage, with a replicate collection at MSB; • To increase capacity of the Herbarium (MSIRI) to store voucher specimens; • To carry out germination trials of material at MSB; • To give training at MSB to the key staff member; • To provide training for all stakeholders through a course taught in Mauritius by MSB; • To use and enhance existing facilities at the Native Plant Propagation Centre, Robinson Road Nursery, Curepipe (managed by NPCS); • To grow on critically endangered plant species successfully germinated at MSB for repatriation; • To employ two staff specifically on this project; • To use the project to streamline ex situ conservation of threatened plants in Mauritius A Memorandum of Understanding between the four partners was drawn up, but negotiations over the precise wording resulted in a significant delay in this document being signed. This in turn resulted in a delay in recruitment of the two in-country posts. This delay impacted the resulting fieldwork, but it is unclear how it might have been avoided, other than by beginning the process much earlier. It was important that all parties were comfortable with the wording of the MoU, and the Mauritian government were understandably reluctant to commence recruitment without a legally binding agreement in place. 2 Darwin Final report format with notes – May 2008 4 Project Achievements 4.1 Impact: achievement of positive impact on biodiversity, sustainable use or equitable sharing of biodiversity benefits The most fundamental impact of the project is the contribution it has made to the implementation of Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. As a direct result of the work carried out, 183 threatened taxa have been collected and stored, both in country and as a back-up in the UK. This figure includes 47 species classed as Critically Endangered, 47 Endangered and 90 Vulnerable. In addition, these seed collections are supported by verified herbarium specimens and, where seed numbers allow, will be available for propagation using the germination protocols developed as part of the project. To date, thirty-seven of a priority list of 50 Critically Endangered species have been propagated successfully by the NPCS, and collections made as part of this project are being added to this propagation programme. At the start of the project, a partial list of flowering and fruiting times of native species was generated based on the data obtained from vouchers at the Herbarium. This was used to plan field trips but importantly data missing from the above list was added through field observations. Also, data sheets for recording of fruiting and flowering of native plant species have been provided to park rangers of the following field stations: Pétrin, Bel Ombre and Lower Gorges. This phenological data will help the seed bank staff with their future seed collecting trips. The project has also made a significant contribution towards raising the profile of biodiversity conservation in Mauritius, through media coverage and visits to the Seed Bank facility by schools and colleges. In the UK, the project has been publicised through Kew’s website and through a giant global map of Kew’s collaborations on the lawn opposite Victoria Gate, the main public entrance to Kew Gardens. 4.2 Outcomes: achievement of the project purpose and outcomes Purpose Implementation of Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (CBD) in Mauritius - ‘60% of threatened plant species in accessible ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, by 2010…’ : Outcomes Based on an IUCN Redlist assessment of the Threatened plants of Mauritius, carried out by the National Threatened Plants Technical Committee 2005-2006 - Preliminary results for Mauritius, January 2007: Mauritius Mascarene Category Endemics Endemics Total Banked % Critically Endangered 113 28 141 47 33.4 Endangered 46 9 55 47 85.5 Vulnerable 81 17 98 90 91.8 TOTAL 245 54 299 184 61.5* *Includes native non-endemic species So it can be seen that the primary project purpose has been achieved, though it should be noted that some of the taxa conserved are subspecies rather than species, though none the less threatened for that. Very few countries in the world have even come close to achieving Target 8 within the specified timescale; this is even more remarkable for a country with such a high proportion of threatened species in its flora. 3 Darwin Final report format with notes – May 2008 4.3 Outputs (and activities) Output 1. Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement (ABSA) developed Activity 1.1 Although significantly delayed, the Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC), which covers access & benefit sharing and material transfer, was eventually signed by both parties. Output 2. Securely banked seed collections of rare and threatened species Seed collections of 300 species cleaned, processed and divided between partner countries Activity 2.1. Collection of seeds and associated herbarium samples was entirely dependant of the two project staff members being in post and trained up. This was inevitably delayed by the late signing of the MoC, but despite this a total of 263 taxa were collected by the end of the project. A high proportion of these were threatened, leading to the achievement of the ‘60%’ target.